Pocket-Sized Nostalgia: The Retropian Color Handheld

If you are anything like us here at The Coolector, your fondest memories likely involve blowing into a plastic cartridge, arguing over whose turn it is on the controller, or the mesmerizing glow of a CRT TV late on a Saturday night.

The golden age of gaming wasn’t defined by 4K resolution or microtransactions; it was defined by gameplay, creativity, and pure, unadulterated fun. While we can’t actually travel back to the 90s (despite our best efforts to build a DeLorean), the Retropian Color Handheld offers the next best thing.

This isn’t just another gadget; it is a portal to the past, a powerful, pocket-sized time machine that puts the entire history of video games right in the palm of your hand.

The first thing you notice about the Retropian Color is that it understands the assignment. It blends the tactile joy of vintage hardware with modern performance standards. At the heart of the experience is a stunning 3.5-inch IPS display.

With a resolution of 640×480, it offers the perfect aspect ratio for retro titles, delivering high contrast and vibrant colors that make Mario jump a little higher and Sonic run a little faster.

Unlike the washed-out screens of the actual handhelds from our youth, this display offers crisp visibility even in bright environments, ensuring that whether you are tackling an RPG on your commute or fighting a boss battle in the park, every pixel is beautifully rendered.

Under the hood, this device is surprisingly potent. Powered by an ARM Cortex-A7 Dual-Core processor and 1GB of DDR3 RAM, the Retropian Color is designed to handle a massive range of emulation without breaking a sweat. It runs on an open-source Linux system, which ensures smooth performance and high compatibility across the board.

And when we say “across the board,” we mean it. This console supports over 20 retro systems. We are talking about the heavy hitters like the NES, SNES, and the entire Game Boy lineage, alongside Sega’s Genesis, Mega Drive, and Dreamcast.

It even handles the 32-bit legends of the Sony PlayStation 1 era and the arcade grit of Neo Geo and MAME systems. With a 64GB microSD card included and preloaded, you have instant access to a library of over 10,000 games from the moment you unbox it.

What truly sets the Retropian Color apart from the sea of emulators available on smartphones is the control scheme. Touchscreens simply cannot replicate the tactile feedback of a D-Pad or the satisfying click of a shoulder trigger.

This handheld features a full suite of controls, including dual analog sticks—a necessity for N64 and PS1 titles—along with the classic ABXY layout. It turns gaming back into a physical experience rather than a glass-tapping exercise.

Furthermore, the inclusion of WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity opens the door for multiplayer gaming, allowing you to connect two devices and settle old scores with friends just like the good old days.

For those looking to integrate a bit of retro flair into their everyday carry, the Retropian Color is priced at £130. For that price, you are getting a robust piece of hardware with a 3000mAh battery capable of delivering over six hours of nonstop gameplay.

It charges via USB-C, meaning you don’t need to hunt for AA batteries like it’s 1998. Whether you are a serious collector looking to have your library on the go, or simply someone wanting to introduce a younger generation to the classics, this device manages to package decades of digital history into a sleek, portable form factor that we find hard to put down.